The Sturmoviks: Unsung Warriors
by Rooivalk253
Summary: After the Jihad, a new group of mercenaries have formed. But unknown to them, one of their members carries a secret even he knows nothing about - a secret so powerful, it will turn the universe upside down, and threaten to start a war greater than any that has come before.
1. The Beginning

**This is my first fanfic, so go easy on me when reviewing...**

**Assumes basic knowledge of the Battletech universe**

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Beginning**

_Mercenary Sector_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_1__st__ August, 3079_

Steven 'Peregrine' McEvedy cracked his eyes open as the first rays of dawn insolently poked through the venetian blinds over the window. His head felt like it had been hit with a _Highlander's_ death from above attack, and his jaw-length mop of red hair was more rumpled than usual. As his eyes finally began forming recognizable shapes out of the swirling mass of colors before them, he slowly lifted his aching head from the hardwood desk that had served as a pillow. Flipping the bird towards the sunlight in vengeance for its disturbing of his slumber, he put his head in his hands as he leaned his elbows on the desk. This had sounded like the perfect job when he'd arrived on Arc-Royal after his unit had been mangled during Devlin Stone's liberation of Terra from the Word of Blake; form up a small mercenary unit with the help of an overly-rich sponsor – who he had absolutely no knowledge about. According to his liaison, his status as a veteran MechWarrior from the war against the Blakists would help him gain some much needed clout with potential recruits. Still, even with the help of his employer's generous supplies of cash, Steven had yet to recruit more then two or three people who he felt truly confident in. His sponsors demanded that all of his recruits be vetted and thoroughly background checked before he let them join the unit, and there weren't that many veteran recruits out there these days.

If the blinds had been up, Steven would have been able to look out the window of his office to view the reconstruction effort that was still going on in Old Connaught following the wake of the Blakist retreat several years ago. With the war against the Word of Blake pretty much over and done with, many of the surviving mercenary commands were trying desperately to shore up their losses. That ended up leaving few if any experienced soldiers available for a startup unit like Steven's. Not only that, but God forbid if he would be able to get his hands on any really new pieces of combat equipment here. A loud thud and a string of mumbled curses from outside the office suddenly snapped Steven out of his thoughts, and he went to investigate.

A low groaning came from the lump on the floor outside the door, and Steven finally remembered what had caused his hangover. Paul "Buckshot" Rhodes was one of the recruits that had been worth investigating, according to the files given to him by his employer's liaison, Kobayashi. A former student at the New Avalon Institute of Science, Rhodes had joined a resistance cell fighting against the Blakists after graduating. A skilled technetium and chemist, Rhodes had apparently been making bombs and booby traps since he was a kid, though now they tended to be deadly killers rather than just harmless pranks.

However, New Avalon had eventually become too hot for the man, and he'd been smuggled off world, eventually ending up on Arc-Royal with nothing more than a single duffle bag of personal possessions and his mech, a battle-worn _Templar_ that he'd managed to pick up somewhere between the Davion capital and the Lyran mercenaries world. While Steven had originally been tempted to try and con the man out of his valuable OmniMech, his opinion had quickly changed after seeing Rhodes in a bar fight; despite his rather bookish initial persona, the former Davion agent had fought like a rabid wolf when cornered, completely unconcerned with his own safety when it came down to a serious fight.

A few quick jabs with a stun gun had ended the fight when Steven finally decided to intervene. While the look on Rhodes' face had seemed a bit troublesome at first, once he'd realized someone had interrupted his fight without being asked, the sound of approaching security personnel had proven that he was also surprisingly quick on his feet when he had to be. Steven had offered to buy the still fuming MechWarrior a drink at another bar, careful to never let on that he knew the man's story from the file Kobayashi had given him earlier on. As soon as Rhodes had mentioned that he was looking to sign on with a mercenary unit, Steven had offered him a place with the Sturmoviks. Despite his best efforts, Rhodes had initially turned him down flat. However, several hours of hard drinking eventually dissipated the Davion's resolve – as well as robbing him of the power of speech and the ability to walk. One rather scribbled name on a contract later, and Steven had snagged himself another recruit.

"Oi, rise and shine, Buckshot." Steven gave Rhodes a kick. "Time to get to work…" A semi-bloodshot eye cracked open, and Steven suddenly found himself staring down the twin barrels of a sawed-off shotgun.

"Whada hell?" He blinked, stretching his other arm as he yawned. "Who're you?"

"I'm your new CO," Steven grinned, pulling the man's contract out of his pocket and waving it in his face. "Now get up and get cleaned up 'afore I throw you in the brig."

"You don't even got a brig…" Rhodes groaned, the shotgun disappearing back into his brown trench coat. "There any coffee round here?"

"Yeah, downstairs with the rest of the unit."

"You actually managed to get some other losers to sign up with this circus? I'm impressed."

"Don't be; most of 'em are slackers, like you and me."

"That explains a lot." Rhodes dragged himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he did. "Doh… How much did I drink last night, anyways?"

"Don't ask me, I was drunk." Steven said with a grin as he led the way to the door.

* * *

While the size of the huge warehouse connected to the office was certainly impressive, the deserted rows of empty mech bays were a dismal sight, making the space feel even larger than it was. Sunlight filtered in through dirty skylights in the roof, but row after row of fluorescent lights hung from the high ceiling. Steven clapped his hands and the lights flashed on, a number of them exploding in a shower of sparks. The increased level of light revealed a number of BattleMechs standing in the bays nearest the main doors.

Rhodes did a quick mental inventory of the equipment there; a _Sunder_, a _Catapult_, a _Men Shen_, a _Zeus_, and a _Marauder_. The ancient _Marauder_, a Star League MAD-2R model, looked like it was halfway through a major overhaul, while the other mechs were in various states of disrepair. A _Galleon_ light tank and a beat up _Maxim_ hover transport sat in the far corner, surrounded by stacks of crates and tarp covered piles.

"I was hoping the others would be up already…" Steven grumbled. "Well, you'd better come and meet the rest of the unit."

"You call five BattleMechs a unit?" Rhodes raised an eyebrow at his new commander as they made their way down the metal staircase to the ground floor. "What is this, some kind of Clan?"

"No, but two of them are former Clanners," Steven chuckled and slammed his plasteel boot into the side of the _Maxim_. "Alright, up and at it, you lazy sons a' guns!"

There was a muffled chorus of complaints from inside the vehicle, but finally the rear hatch opened and four rather disheveled looking men dressed in a motley collection of uniforms and civilian clothing stumbled out into the light.

"Alright, fellas, this here is Rhodes, call sign 'Buckshot', our newest recruit." Steven smiled slightly. "This is Captain Steele, formerly of Clan Coyote. He goes by the call sign 'Howler', and he rides the _Sunder_. The guy next to him is Dmitri, our other resident Clanner, but he won't say what Clan he's from. He drives the _Zeus_. Then we have James O'Connor, call sign 'Pounder'. He's in the _Catapult_. The guy on the end there goes only by his call sign, 'Six gun', and he's in the _Men Shen_. That old _Marauder_ is mine, but she's down until we can get a hold of the parts we need."

"And my name is Daniel Kobayashi." A new voice sounded from the other end of the room, and a tall, brown-haired man in his late forties walked over to the group. "I am the owner's representative here on Outreach, so any problems, inquiries and the like should be brought to me." He looked at Rhodes. "I've already arranged for your _Templar_ to be moved here from its current residence in the spaceport, and taken the liberty of paying off your bill at the hotel you were previously staying at."

"Yeah, thanks Kobayashi." Steven glared slightly at the other man. "Any more new recruits?"

"Several, actually. I would suggest that you let the Lance-leaders handle the interviews." The lawyer handed over a decent-sized stack of files. "I assume that Mr. Rhodes will be taking command of the new Fire lance?"

"Yeah, most likely." Steven handed off the folders to the other men. "Anything else I should know?"

"Only that your first mission has been arranged." Kobayashi turned and started to walk away. "The DropShip lifts off at noon on the 6th. Be there."


	2. Recruiting

**Chapter 2: Recruiting**

_Mercenary Sector_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_1__st__ August, 3079_

"Hey, Major!" Captain James 'Pounder' O'Connor ran after Steven as he headed for his office, the bright colors of the man's Hawaiian shirt almost paining his superior's bloodshot eyes. "You said I could select my own people. I already got three pilots from my old unit lined up to fill out my lance."

"And I already told you that despite what I'd prefer, Kobayashi has final say in the matter." Steven paused at the base of the ladder. "You think you can talk him round, be my guest. Just make sure you do it before he disappears again…"

Steven smiled, as O'Connor was already running for the distant door and the receding dot that was Daniel Kobayashi.

* * *

Okay, let's see here." Rhodes looked over the top of the file at the young woman now sitting opposite him. "Chao-Fu Shen, born on St. Ives April 21st, 3054. Learned to pilot a BattleMech at a young age, scoring higher in gunnery than any of your fellow unit members but still ranking as a below-average pilot. Eventually ended up on Solaris VII."

"How do you know so much about me?"

"I'm not finished yet." Rhodes looked surprisingly calm. "You entered the lower arenas in a damaged _Men Shen _OmniMech, but finally quit due to the politics, trading your mech in for a new PXH-3D _Phoenix Hawk_ and passage here. Apparently every unit you previously applied to has rejected you, some even going so far as to report you to the MRBC with a major attitude problem."

"I do not have an attitude problem. They just didn't like my attitude."

"Is that so? Well, if you were offered a place in the Sturmoviks, would you take it?"

"Yes."

"Good. Grab your kit and find a bunk; you're hired."

* * *

_"O'Hara."_ A rather sleepy female voice answered the phone on the fourth ring.

"Charlie, it's me, Pounder." O'Connor stood leaning against the outside wall, rubbing his eyes. "You're in. Get the others together and get over here ASAP."

_"How'd you pull that one off?"_

"I told the guy who really calls the shots that if you didn't get the slots, I'd walk."

_"You took one hell of a risk, sir. He could've just told you to pack it in."_

"Well, they need experienced officers here. The last guy they pulled in was some college kid from the Davion outback who thinks he can drive a mech. Honestly, I'm pretty damn sure the Major's going to con him out of his mech first chance he gets."

_"What's he ride?"_

"A frickin' _Templar_! He's only got the equipment for the prime configuration, but that's not the point. Just get everybody over here."

_"I hear you boss. Okay, I'll round the guys up and we'll be over there soon."_

* * *

Captain Marcus Steele looked over the three MechWarriors that stood in front of him. Two of them had formal military training – one had been injured and been released for medical reasons, and the other one was still technically AWOL from the Federated Suns military. He couldn't help but let a smile cross his face when he recalled that he was still wanted for grand theft BattleMech in that region of space.

Of the files Kobayashi had given him, these three were the only ones interested enough to return his calls, and that pretty much limited his options to nada. Short of looking at the recruits turned down by the other lance leaders, he couldn't do anything about it.

"Very well, you have the placements." He eyed them coolly. "And before you have the need to ask, aff, I was once a Star Captain with Clan Coyote. While I will not hold you to those same high standards, I will nevertheless expect nothing less than your absolute best. For you three, this is the proverbial Last Chance Saloon; if you wish to remain MechWarriors, I will help you. If you wish to be forgotten by the universe, be my guest. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I got one." Lewin 'Bandit' Morris was the third member of the group, a former pirate who'd served with the Northwind Highlanders for two years after going straight. "Do we get hazardous duty pay for serving with the rest of the clowns in this gig?"

"Hm, I think I like you already." Steele smiled.

* * *

Thaddeus Hatch, though it says here you like to be called Tad." Rhodes eyed the man standing nervously across from him. He was easily seven-feet tall, and his body was obviously all muscle and no fat, judging by the way it rippled when he moved.

"Yeah – Thaddeus makes me sound too much like a stuck up officer…"

"Perhaps." Rhodes nodded. "Born on Tukayyid in the former Free Rasalhague Republic, you joined the ComGuards on your 18th birthday. Focused mostly on scout mechs, but you are rated on several heavy and assault designs."

"Light mechs are harder to hit."

"That may be true, but I'm not going to be giving up my _Templar_ any time soon. Anyhow, three years ago you were caught up in a surprise assault by the Blakists on Terra, and you were one of only three people to survive the fight with your machines intact. Two of your lance mates died, including your lieutenant."

"Don't worry 'bout him. He was an A-grade asshole. Always trying to get us killed."

"I'll keep that in mind. After that, you're unit was disbanded, and you used your savings to purchase your BEO-12 _Beowulf_ as surplus and passage here. You've been turned down by the several units you've applied to, forcing you to lodge at the YMCA. Your mech is currently impounded by the authorities due to unpaid port fees."

"Yeah, that's kinda embarrassing…"

"It says here in your file that you were given the call sign 'Sleepy' after you fell asleep in your Mech during a training exercise."

"There's actually a funny story behind that…"

"I'll bet there is, but it right now it can wait: you need to go and see the Major about having your Mech released from the impound yard."

"I've got the job?"

"You have a certain class and style, not just ability. I need someone who can think on his feet in battle, and you fit the bill perfectly. The job is yours, if you want it."

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Don't you sir me; I work for a living."

* * *

Good lord above, how did my life wind up like this?" Steven asked as he collapsed onto the sofa in his office. "Just what did I do in a past life to deserve this kind of damnation?"

"I would guess you were Stefan Amaris." Dmitri Kerensky laughed, grabbing a couple of sodas from the fridge. "Cheer up already. Things could be worse."

"How?" Steven took one of the cold drinks and pressed the can against his throbbing head. "No disrespect, but my command is made up of people that no other unit around would touch with a cattle prod. Then I've got that jackass Kobayashi looking over my shoulder all the time, and my officers are just recruiting people at random. At least, those of them that have started recruiting…"

"I am busy trying to fix that bad hip on my _Zeus_. You hire some techs and I will have time to recruit MechWarriors."

"You know we don't have the time to recruit any techs for that sort of work. I mean, we all heard Kobayashi; our first mission is in five days. We'll be lucky if we have enough time to just get our mechs up and running, and you can forget about anything fancy. There are some times when I almost feel as if our sponsors want us to fail…"

"Or succeed."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, just think of the glory and honor we will gain if we succeed with so little."

"I'm more worried about being outnumbered ten-to-one."

"What you call being outnumbered, I call a target-rich environment."

"I'll drink to that one!"


	3. Guns, Beer and BattleMechs

**Woo! A review! Alright, Rougebaron, thank you! And boy, does one of these guys have a secret... oh yes indeedy, hehehe *grins evilly***

**Steven: Oh, great, what's he up to now?**

**Dmitri: I do not know, but I do not think I want to find out.**

**Author: Oi! Silence! Or I shall bring out my Godhammer IIC!**

**Steven & Dmitri: *run away screaming***

* * *

**Chapter 3: Guns, Beer, and BattleMechs**

_Mercenary Sector_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_2__nd__ August, 3079_

"Hey!" Dmitri yelled when he noticed a pair of legs dangling from the maintenance hatch on his mech's leg. "Just what do you think you are doing?"

"I'm fixing this bad hip-joint for you," Rhodes replied. "It's not broken, just fouled up. God only knows what your last tech was using to clean it."

"I do not recall asking for your help."

"Well, it's not like I've got much else to do around this place, and we don't have any techs at the moment. So what else am I going to do? Work on my tan like some of the others up on the roof?"

"I am just surprised that someone of your education knows how to repair a BattleMech. Your files said you majored in hyperspace theory and dynamics."

"Yeah, like that's going to do me any good these days." There was a loud thud from inside the _Zeus_. "There, that should do it." Rhodes pulled himself out. "You see, I don't exactly come from an affluent family. Only reason I got a chance to attend NAIS was because I had the smarts to be of use to someone. But I grew up around WorkMechs; my dad drove one, and he tried to save as much as he could by doing what repairs he could on his own."

"So you wanted to work as a technician?"

"Hell no! I wanted to run a pub. It's funny how life works out, isn't it? I mean, just look at the Major."

"I do not follow your meaning."

"Well, he fought against the Word of Blake during Devlin Stone's final assault on Terra at the end of the Jihad. From what I understand, though, he's from somewhere in the Lyran outback, native to one of the poorer worlds. He's probably been more hard pressed than any of us to get to where he is today, and he's seen all-out, unrestricted war first hand – something not many of us can claim to have done."

"The Major has gone through all that? I have known him longer than anyone else in this unit, and besides the fact that he was in the fighting on Terra, he has mentioned nothing of his past."

"Yeah, well, he's probably got some serious demons to face after going through all that. I just hope we all survive the fight."

* * *

"What in the name of Jesse James are you two up to?" Steven ran along the catwalk until he reached the bay that held his_ Marauder_. "What are you doing to her?"

"We're fixing her as much as we can." Rhodes wiped his hands on a greasy rag. "We've done our best, but there's only so much we can do."

"Aff," Dmitri nodded. "We lack some of the parts and equipment to complete the job."

"Wait, what?" Steven blinked. "How much of her is operational?"

"Well, you're lucky. Most of the damage was only superficial," Rhodes explained. "I've managed to get the fire control system for the ER PPCs and the Autocannon up and running again, but the lasers are proving to be pretty temperamental. It'd be easy to fix, if they weren't different makes or if I could replace one of them. For now, just remember to double check your targeting lock when using them."

"But she's running again." Steven reached out a hand and gently rested it on the side of his BattleMech. "That's the important thing." He turned to Dmitri. "Since you have yet to recruit anyone, you'll be founding into the Command Lance with me, which means yourgonna be my XO. If I can manage to find two more recruits, I'll be dropping Six Gun into your Fire Lance, Rhodes. If not, I'll put him with me to try and get my lance as close to full strength as I can. Steele is getting command of First Company, which is you, Rhodes, along with O'Connor's people."

"Works for me," Rhodes said as he jumped down from the _Marauder_. "After all, I've got barely enough time to train with who I have already, let alone look for someone else to fill that last bunk."

"Alright, well, I've got to interview a new recruit Kobayashi brought in, and then I'm heading out to try and find another one he gave me a lead on earlier today. So don't wait up for me."

"Good luck, Major." Dmitri gave him a pat on the back.

"Thanks. I have a feeling I might need it."

* * *

Steven closed the door behind him and moved over to the chair behind his hardwood desk, motioning for the woman Kobayashi had found to pull up a seat as he did. Placing his arms on the desk, he surveyed her with the calculating eye of a veteran soldier. She was about the same height as him at six feet, with teal green eyes, lightly tanned skin and beach blond hair. She had her hair back into three ponytails reaching down to her knees, and she was dressed in brown cargo pants tucked into her plasteel boots, along with a black tank top. Over that she wore a dark blue jacket with gold trim, which was cropped off at her midriff. He could tell by the way she acted that she had military experience, and that was something he liked.

He picked up the file on his desk and casually flipped through it. "Ayumi Hasegawa, born November 11th, 3049 on New Samarkand, correct?"

She nodded.

"Tell me a little about yourself."

"I attended the Sun Zhang MechWarrior Academy, and then entered the DCMS when I graduated. I saw some action against the Word of Blake during the latter part of the Jihad, but not very much before my unit was disbanded due to combat attrition. I managed to take my _Grand Dragon_ along with me, and used what cash I had on hand to come here. I've been trying to hire on with a mercenary unit ever since."

"I see. Alright, you're hired, so grab your things and find a bunk, and I'll have Kobayashi get your mech moved over to the hangar." Steven stood up from his desk and headed for the door.

"Welcome to the Sturmoviks, Hasegawa."

* * *

Striding down the street, a gust of wind whipped the hem of Steven's weathered grey trench coat around his legs, revealing glimpses of the M&G Service Auto pistol that was slung on his right thigh. He turned and pushed open the door beneath a sign that labeled the establishment as 'Marauder Bill's'. Inside, the dim lighting made it difficult to see to the far side of the interior, making dark wood paneling seem even darker than it was. Shadowed booths played host to a small number of drinkers, while a heavyset man eyed him warily from behind the bar as he cleaned out a beer mug. Above him was a framed picture of a _Marauder_ sporting the colors of the Northwind Highlanders mercenary unit. As he approached, Steven noted that the young MechWarrior perched on machine's left foot was a dead ringer for the bartender if you subtracted thirty years and fifty kilos. Leaning on the bar, Steven glanced around before turning to the bartender.

"I'm looking for a certain someone, perhaps you know him? Goes by the name of Bourbon Bill Hickup."

The man grunted and jerked his thumb towards one of the booths near the back. Steven nodded before heading over to the place the man had indicated. Two men sat side-by-side in the booth; the first one was stocky and well-built, with short brown hair and a stubble-covered chin. The other occupant was shorter, but lean and wiry, with black hair and a clean shaven face. Walking up to them, Steven leaned on the table to draw their attention.

"Can I presume that one of you is Bourbon Bill Hickup?"

The taller one grinned. "I don't know, are you physically capable of that? Yeah, that's me, what can I do for you?"

Steven chuckled at his joke. "I just thought I'd drop by for a few drinks, have a chat, you know. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all! Sit down, we'll get you a drink!" Bourbon waved the bartender over and told him to bring another pair of drinks over.

"Anyways, as you said, I'm Bourbon Bill. This here is my personal tech, Lo Hung. Been with me for years, he has."

Steven nodded. "Your accent tells me you're not from around here. How did you end up on Arc-Royal?"

Bourbon grinned as their drinks were set down. "Well, that's an interesting story, there." He took a swig from his beer. "Ya see, I'm a mercenary; started my career with McCarron's Armored Cavalry. That's where I met Lo, see. Anyways, served with those guys during Operation Bulldog and then in the assault on Zion. After that, I 'borrowed' a mech and took off for Galatea."

"What do you mean by 'borrowed' a mech?"

"Well, I was just preserving assets, see? Emphasis on the ass part." He chuckled. "Anyways, joined a small group of mercs headed for the border with the Falcons. When we got there, we had a real rough time – me an' Lo were the only two to get out, so we ended up here. Been looking for a new unit to join up with since then."

"Actually, I might be able to help there. I'm Major Steven McEvedy, and I'm in charge of the Sturmoviks Mercenary Command. We've been looking to find experienced recruits, and you pretty much fit the bill. What do you think?"

Bourbon chewed his lip. "I dunno, I kinda feel uneasy about joining a new unit just yet – it didn't end well the last time, y'know."

Steven nodded. "Very well.I suppose that's all good for now. But anyways, how about we have some more to drink?"

Bourbon grinned like a maniac. "Yeah!"

* * *

_Several hours hard drinking later…_

Bourbon swayed slightly as he finished off his latest drink, and Steven decided tomake his move. After spending the past hours talking and drinking with the man, he had him right where he wanted.

"Alright, Bourbon, I just need you to sign here, and you'll officially have joined my unit." Steven reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and paper. Pushing them across the table, he watched as Bourbon picked up the pen and looked at the paper with a groggy expression.

"Well… Alright." He quickly scribbled his signature – right before he collapsed into a drunken stupor.

"And, checkmate." Steven smiled.

"Well done, Major."

Steven turned to Lo Hung, who had spoken only rarely during the entire drinking session. A slight smile was playing on his thin face.

"Whatever for?"

He chuckled. "Why, doing so well at recruiting my friend here. I respect a clever man, and I have to admit – outlasting Bourbon when it comes to drinking is a feat in and of itself. Congratulations."

Steven grinned. "Well, what can I say – I know how to hold my liquor."

He pulled out a stack of Lyran notes and started counting them. "I suppose you'll be coming along with Bourbon here, so I'll go pay the bill and get us a taxi while you get him picked up."

"You have a deal, Major."


	4. Turncoats and conspiracies

**Chapter 4: Turncoats and Conspiracies**

_Unknown Location_

_Unknown region of space_

_3__rd __August, 3079_

"Just why are we sponsoring this mercenary unit? You know the problems that will arise if we are discovered – especially if we are unprepared."

"Because I believe that the man we have put in command is something more than a regular person – even if he does not realize it."

"So why go to all this trouble? Why not simply bring him in and find out directly?"

"Because, sponsoring this unit will allow us to keep a close eye on him while learning more about him in his natural element. If he is what I believe him to be, then we will be the first to know about it."

"And just what is it you believe him to be that is so important?"

"I prefer to keep my suspicions withheld until I have more of a certainty, my Khan."

"Very well. I shall defer to your judgment in this matter."

"Thank you, my Khan. I have sent another one of our agents to help watch him and report to us on his… progress."

* * *

_Main Spaceport_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_5__th__ August, 3079_

The clerk sitting behind the customs desk looked half asleep as the last passenger made their way off the newly arrived DropShip. He only glanced at the red-haired woman long enough to ensure that her face matched the one displayed on her passport.

"Name?" he asked.

"Wereday. Christine Wereday." The woman replied. She had almost no kind of discernible accent; the kind of voice that could be from almost anywhere.

"Purpose of your visit?"

"Work."

"And what do you do?"

"I'm a DropShip navigator. I was offered a job on a ship based out of here."

"Very well." The man looked at the visa attached to the passport and stamped it. "Enjoy your stay on Arc-Royal."

"I'm quite sure I will." Wereday grinned.

* * *

_Mercenary Sector_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_5__th__ August, 3079_

Steven sighed as he watched Bourbon and Lo Hung yacking about some obscure subject yet again. He had to admit, after seeing him up and going two mornings ago, the man had the fastest recovery from a hangover he'd ever seen. Sitting Indian-style on a plasteel crate, Steven glanced around the hangar. Rhodes was working on a final tune up to the group's mechs before heading out, while Dmitri was helping out when not engaged in other matters. Steele was off running his lance through the simulators for the umpteenth time, and Rhodes' lance mates were playing a game of cards while Hasegawa sat reading a book a short distance to his right. Overall, each individual member had managed to adapt fairly well in their short time with the unit.

Kobayashi was still keeping mum on the details of their first mission, claiming it to be a 'necessary security measure'. Steven hadn't liked being kept in the dark any more than his subordinates, but there wasn't much he could do about it. All he knew was that tomorrow morning, they would be lifting on the _SS Badger_, an _Overlord_-class DropShip contracted for use during their mission. Besides that, he had nothing. Damn lawyer.

* * *

_Main Spaceport_

_Old Connaught, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_6__th__ August, 3079_

"Their mechs are onboard, but there's no sign of them." Kobayashi looked around at the busy landing field. "I must say, I'm a bit disappointed."

"What's to be disappointed about?" Steven shrugged. "We've got their mechs, so it's not like they're gonna be running off, exactly."

"True, but Bourbon is wanted for theft of military property in the Capellan Confederation. It is possible that the Maskirovka, or some other such agency, has sent someone to 'take care of him', as it were."

"Good luck to them: Rhodes is with him, and he earned the call sign 'Buckshot' for killing a Blakist assassin with that sawn-off of his."

"How do you know that?"

"I asked him." Steven jerked his thumb at a Taxi that had just pulled up to the foot of the _Badger's_ cargo ramp. "And here they are now."

Bourbon stepped out of the taxi, stretching in the early morning light, followed closely by Lo Hung and Rhodes. Bourbon and Rhodes wore t-shirts that proudly proclaimed _'The Sultans of Swing: Steiner Unplugged Tour'_ and looked like they had been slept in. The other members of Rhodes' lance stepped out behind them, looking rather the worse for drink.

"Mornin' boss. You too, Major." Bourbon walked past the two men standing in the DropShip's entrance. "We gonna get this show on the road or what?"

* * *

_DropShip _Badger

_Outbound, Arc-Royal_

_The Lyran Alliance_

_8__th__ August, 3079_

"Well, I'm glad that everyone managed to find the time to be here today." Steven glared at his assembled command as they filed into the _Overlord's_ briefing room. "Now we've settled in onboard, time to finally tell you where we're going."

The holo-projector built into the large, rectangular table hummed to life as a 3D map of the Lyran Alliance flickered into existence above it. Everyone sitting around the table moved closer to try and get a better look, trying to orientate themselves in relation to the map hovering in midair.

"We're currently here." Steven tapped a control, and an icon appeared next to Arc-Royal. "And our first mission is here," he hit another control, bringing up a new icon next to another system. "A military outpost on Clermont. Apparently the garrison unit went turncoat and are putting the local guys up to some kind of ransom…

"Not that I have a problem with going up against these guys," Six Gun raised his hand. "But who are we working for? Who's signing the checks?"

"This mission is more of a chance to prove that we can work together as a team, so the owners are the one's paying for it." Kobayashi leaned against a bulkhead in the shadows, smoking a cigar. "If you manage to pull it off, I can start looking for some proper contracts."

"Yeah, but still, fighting a group of rebellious soldiers?" Charlotte 'Charlie' O'Hara, O'Conner's 2IC questioned. "It almost feels like we're participating in a government backstab mission or something."

"I second that one." Bourbon nodded. "It don't sit the best with me, either, despite what they did…"

"Quit griping, you slackers!" Steven snapped. "Look, any of you want out, than you can stay on the boat during the mission; no harm, no foul. But do that, and we'll cut you loose first chance we get, got it?"

The room fell completely silent, apart from the ever-present throb of the DropShip's powerful engines. Everyone could tell that Steven wouldn't make such a threat if he wasn't willing to see it through to the end.

No one moved.

"Good." Steven crossed his arms. "I would suggest that we all spend as much time as we can in the simulators. This mission is literally going to be a baptism by fire, make no mistake."

* * *

Wereday stood outside the briefing room, listening intently to what was being said inside. She had already known the details of the mission; her superiors had made sure that she knew even more than Steven and Kobayashi did.

What really interested her was the way that the unit had responded, and how Steven had handled them. She was impressed; the man had quickly and forcibly asserted his authority over a group of rather extrovert individuals.

She smiled to herself. She liked Steven immediately.


End file.
